Bulking & an Anabolic Diet

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One of the conundrums that has vexed bodybuilders for decades is how to pack on lean muscle mass without packing on the fat that comes from excess carbohydrates. Bodybuilders increase caloric intake to such a high degree, the excess calories from carbs make it difficult to stay cut while also making adequate gains. The anabolic diet is one of the more effective strategies used by bodybuilders overcome this problem. The diet uses a two-stage approach to switch the body from a carb-burning to a fat-burning system. This allows the bodybuilder to bulk up with lean muscle mass.

Basics

The bodybuilder starts with a phase of high-fat, low-carb dieting, then switches to a phase of one or two days eating a lot of carbs. The second phase is crucial, because the body needs carbohydrates to survive long-term. This is why strict low-carb diets ultimately fail, and make it difficult for weight lifters to make any practical muscle gains. The two-phase anabolic diet is repeated on the same cycle in perpetuity, giving bodybuilders a continuous foundation for gaining mass and maintaining definition.

Ketosis Phase

The first phase of the anabolic diet places the body into ketosis, which means the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. To do this, a bodybuilder will begin the diet by severely restricting the amount of carbohydrates consumed. Mauro DiPasquale, the creator of the diet, recommends cutting carbs to 30 grams a day, and only consuming complex carbohydrates, such as fiber-rich vegetables. Sixty percent of the dieter’s daily caloric intake should come from healthy fats, such as fish oil. DiPasquale recommends that bodybuilders looking to bulk up should consume about one gram per pound of body weight in protein. The ketosis phase lasts four to five days.

Carb Load Phase

During the carb load phase, the dieter loads up on high-quality complex carbohydrates. This speeds up muscle recovery and shifts the body to an anabolic state where it packs on mass. During this phase, the dieter consumes about 60 percent of the daily caloric intake from fiber-dense carbs, with healthy fats and a lean protein rounding out the remaining intake. The carb load phase only lasts for two days, before the dieter returns to the ketosis phase.

Considerations

The anabolic diet is designed for bodybuilders to bulk up and stay cut no matter what phase of workout they’re performing. The diet isn’t exclusively for bodybuilders, though. All types of strength-training athletes can benefit from using the anabolic diet, as it places the body into a cyclical, natural anabolic state. This speeds up recovery and reduces the amount of rest needed to progress. However, while the anabolic diet is effective for helping weight trainers of all types pack on lean muscle, the long-term effects of ketonic/anabolic cycling have not been studied. Also, the anabolic diet is not recommended for those who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or any other insulin condition. Consult your physician before you undertake any diet program.

References

About the Author

Bobby R. Goldsmith is a writer and editor with over 12 years of experience in journalism, marketing and academics. His work has been published by the Santa Fe Writers Project, "DASH Literary Journal," the "Inland Valley Daily Bulletin" and WiseGEEK.